The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

This Girl Scout project could save lives

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When most people think of Girl Scouts, they tend to picture little girls selling cookies in front of the local store or singing in a camp sing-along.

It’s unlikely they envision a young woman working on a project to improve traffic safety.

But that’s exactly what Wesley Chapel High School student Samantha Politano is doing.

Wesley Chapel High student Samantha Politano is striving to attain a Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor awarded to a Girl Scout. Her project is to improve safety traffic conditions on Wells Road. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Wesley Chapel High student Samantha Politano is striving to attain a Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor awarded to a Girl Scout. Her project is to improve safety traffic conditions on Wells Road.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She’s launched a three-year project aimed at making life safer for the students who attend Wesley Chapel High School, Thomas Weightman Middle School and Wesley Chapel Elementary School.

She’s not only interested in making life safer for students. She wants to improve the conditions for all drivers — parents dropping off and picking up their kids, bus drivers making their rounds, and faculty members and students who drive to school.

In addition to making Wells Road safer, she’s also aiming to spread the message of safe driving habits.

She hopes her efforts will encourage drivers to buckle up and put away their cellphones, which will reduce their chance or being injured or having an accident.

She also thinks it would be neat to give Wells Road a second, honorary name — Wildcat Way — to pay tribute to the mascot for the elementary, middle and high schools.

Politano is tackling the traffic safety issue on a number of fronts and has enlisted the aid of Jeff Novotny, former president of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce.

Novotny is widely known in business circles around Wesley Chapel, but that’s not why Politano asked him. She wanted his help because he’s married to her third-grade teacher, Amanda, who teaches at Wesley Chapel Elementary.

“Mrs. Novotny was one of the most influential teachers, ever,” Politano said.

So, why would a teenager take on an issue like traffic safety?

In Politano’s case, it’s because she’s striving to attain a Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve.

The distinction is based on the completion of a project that focuses on making a difference.

Politano said her decision to work on traffic issues was partly inspired by a friend of hers who was injured when a car backed into her in the parking lot.

She said she also heard about a freshman who was struck by a vehicle on Wells Road.

It’s not hard to see that Wells Road has traffic issues during student arrival and departure times.

On one recent afternoon, parents arrived at least 20 minutes before school got out, parking their cars on the edges on both sides of Wells Road.

With cars flanking both sides of the road, passing traffic — including school buses — had to drive close to the middle of the road, and in some cases over the centerline.

Parents also pulled into a parking lot at Wesley Chapel High to wait for their children, reminiscent of the staging area of the cellphone parking lot at Tampa International Airport.

Politano plans to continue her efforts by talking to various advisory groups and elected officials, to draw attention to the problem. She also has been circulating a petition that people can sign on paper or electronically.

One possible solution, Novotny said, would be to have a continuous turn lane down Wells Road, which would give vehicles a place to wait, so other cars could get by.

“That (continuous turn lane) creates enough separation between the west and eastbound vehicles so that they’re not right on top of each other. It gives a little space for people to see what’s happening,” Novotny said.

Besides working on that issue, Politano has already addressed a site-distance problem at the intersection of Wells and Boyette roads.

There was overgrown vegetation near the intersection, making it difficult for drivers to see, she explained. She notified the county, and they responded swiftly to address the problem, she said.

“It was very quick. I was very surprised, pleasantly surprised,” Politano said.

The county already is planning another safety improvement, Novotny said. It is scheduled to install a traffic light at Boyette and Wells roads in 2016.

Besides making conditions safer on the road, Politano has encouraged safer driver behavior.

She used Wesley Chapel High School’s public address system to remind students of the importance of buckling up and not texting while driving.

She used a message that got the students’ attention. She told them it would cost $140 for a ticket, if they weren’t wearing a seat belt or were caught texting while driving.

Politano also did a study to see if her message had any effect.

Before she made the announcement, she counted the cars in the parking lot and observed how many drivers were wearing their seat belts. By her count, it was around 15 percent.

She did the same count after her announcement, and this time about 50 percent were buckled up.

She said she plans to do another observation, to see if her message stuck.

In another effort to raise awareness, she created a sign on a fence between the high school and elementary school.

“Buckle Up!” it exclaims.

Politano realizes she has ambitious goals, but noted she doesn’t have to achieve a three-lane road or modify other drivers’ behavior to qualify for the Girl Scout Gold Award. She merely has to make her best efforts and document them.

She said she’s grateful for Novotny’s help on the project.

“Mr. Novotny has helped immensely, immensely, immensely with this.”

Politano’s mom, Felicia, recalled when her daughter told her what she planned to do for her Gold Award project.

The teenager said: “I’m going to widen Wells Road.”

Her mom responded: “Why don’t you find something easier than that to do.”

While she doesn’t have to get the road widened, Politano does hope for that result.

“The community needs it,” Politano said.

Published March 18, 2015

Lutz Lake Fern Road gets a smoother feel

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Motorists driving over the portion of Lutz Lake Fern Road from North Dale Mabry to near Oscar Cooler Sports Complex, had the sensation of driving on a washboard.

But the section heading east from that point to U.S. 41, rolled over a new, smooth road.

Motorists driving along a 1.7-mile stretch of Lutz Lake Fern Road will have a smoother ride once a resurfacing project is completed. Hillsborough County officials expect the work to be finished by March 20, barring any weather issues. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Motorists driving along a 1.7-mile stretch of Lutz Lake Fern Road will have a smoother ride once a resurfacing project is completed. Hillsborough County officials expect the work to be finished by March 20, barring any weather issues.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

That’s because the road was open to through traffic over the weekend, before crews went back to work this week to finish the resurfacing project.

The road resurfacing project, about 1.7 miles long, is expected to be completed by March 20, weather permitting, according to Andrea Roshaven a spokeswoman for Hillsborough County.

The project is partially due to a recently completed $5.4 million public works project to connect the Manors of Crystal Lakes subdivision to the county’s water distribution system.

The water line project affected the eastbound travel lane of Lutz Lake Fern Road, requiring it to be refurbished.

The public works department provided an additional $283,000 to refurbish the westbound travel lanes.

The project involves milling and resurfacing.

Local traffic can enter the area, but other motorists are being detoured.

The Manors of Crystal Lakes project involved 4.5 miles of pipeline to create a looped system, giving Manors of Crystal Lakes’ residents a backup, in the event of any water line breaks or disruption.

The 12-inch water pipe was installed along U.S. 41 and Lutz Lake Fern Road. The new pipe also improved water flow, bringing it up to current standards for fire protection.

The biggest change for customers is that the county’s water system uses chloramines in the final disinfection stages instead of chlorine.

Customers should be aware that water that contains chloramines should not be used in home aquariums, fishponds or home kidney dialysis. Water used for those purposes should be treated or filtered to remove the chloramines.

Published March 18, 2015

The adventurous life of Seva Granin

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In the “Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” author James Thurber describes a meek and mild man who imagines himself as a wartime pilot, an emergency room surgeon and a devil-may-care killer.

While Walter Mitty only dreamed of living a life of adventure, Vsevolod “Seva” Granin, of Land O’ Lakes, actually has been living one.

Seva Granin, left, met up with his friend from college, Zach Lee, to climb to the top of Mt. Fuji. (Courtesy of Vesvolod 'Seva' Granin)
Seva Granin, left, met up with his friend from college, Zach Lee, to climb to the top of Mt. Fuji.
(Courtesy of Vesvolod ‘Seva’ Granin)

Granin graduated from Academy at the Lakes in Land O’ Lakes and later from Rollins College, in Winter Park.

He studied Chinese at both schools, studied abroad in China while enrolled at Rollins, and returned to China to work after graduation.

He’s back home now, after initially working for an American hotel chain in China and later for a Chinese subsidiary of a European logistics company.

Before returning to the United States, he also set off on a number of adventures including backpacking through Vietnam, trekking up Mt. Fuji and running in the Great Wall of China marathon before returning to Pasco County.

Granin, who is an avid photographer, blogger and artist, recorded his experiences through words and photographs in a blog.

“I see things artistically,” said Granin, whose mother is an artist.

In fact, some of the photographs he took in China recently were on exhibit at Hillsborough Community College. He has another exhibit scheduled from May 22 through June 19 at the Oglesby Gallery at Florida State University in Tallahassee.

Granin was born in Moscow and spent his early years in Russia before moving with his family to Land O’ Lakes.

When he arrived here, he was 14 and barely spoke English.

“I was lucky with Academy at the Lakes,” the 26-year-old said. “It’s a small, private school. The teachers are very helpful. I learned quickly and a lot.”

Living in China, however, was an experience that took learning to an entirely new level.

Although he had a foundation in Chinese, he soon discovered how little he knew.

“Chinese is one of those languages it takes a lifetime to master, I think.”

He worked eight months for the hotel chain then networked his way into a job with the logistics company whose main customer is the largest online retailer in Russia.

“For them, we developed a list of over 500 factories in China,” said Granin, who worked with a buyers’ team from Russia.

He and his team handled the factory negotiations, contracts, logistics, the supply chain, getting through customs, documentation and getting goods to the warehouse.

It was challenging, but rewarding work.

“If you’re adaptable to other cultures — it really expands your world,” Granin said.

“If you’re willing to accept different cultures and go so far away from home, you can get amazing work opportunities,” Granin said. “It’s not going to be easy, but you will have that opportunity.”

Granin also took advantage of his time overseas to delve into a series of other adventures.

He did a backpack trip through Southeast Asia, visiting 11 countries in like two months. He also climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan and ran the Great Wall marathon in China.

The Great Wall marathon was grueling.

He describes that experience in blog entries.

In the beginning, he remembers taking his first steps and “raising my head up and seeing a few white doves flying a few meters over my head, from left to right. (It was a) simple, short and beautiful moment, but the crowd around me was picking up speed, and so was I. The marathon was on.”

Shortly after the race began, though, “I felt a sharp and intense cramp in my right calf. Ouch, that was sudden and painful.”

Around a quarter of the way into the race, he was slowed down and limping.

“What do you do? Do you stop? Do you quit? Do you stretch for as long as it takes?”

He stretched for a bit and even though his muscles did not relax, he decided to continue.

There were many places along the route that were difficult to navigate, but he kept going, describing his increasing pain.

“…the spaghetti legs with iron shackles were barely cooperating with the mind, the desert dry cotton mouth was making it hard to breathe and swallow.”

He wasn’t the only one struggling.

“People were stumbling, leaning on the (Great) Wall, sitting, laying down, crawling … Medics ran up to each person.”

But he pushed through the pain and finished the race.

Granin said he decided to return home because he missed his family, but now is applying to graduate school — waiting to see where he’ll start the next chapter in life.

If you would like to read more about Granin’s adventures, visit Vgranin.com.

Published March 18, 2015

Pasco commissioners approve a study for Wiregrass Sports Park

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Pasco County commissioners are in a quandary about the fate of the proposed Wiregrass Sports Park. Should they try again to work a deal for a world-class sports complex or build a district park for local sports teams?

Commissioners voted 4-1 on March 10 to take a wait-and-see approach with a feasibility study that will gauge the market for a sports complex with the potential to draw national tournaments, and yield millions in tourism tax dollars.

Jack Mariano (File Photo)
Jack Mariano
(File Photo)

The results also could show that the county’s money is better spent on a park that caters to local sports teams.

The study is intended to give county officials, residents and potential park operators an idea of what will work at the park site, located near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard off State Road 56.

“We think we’ll get the ability to expedite (the process) because people will understand it better, and we think the quality of applications will improve,” said Richard Gehring, the county’s planning and development administrator.

Johnson Consulting Inc., a sports consulting firm with national and international clients, will be paid $35,000 for the study, expected to take less than 12 weeks.

The study will include marketing and needs assessments as well as recommendations on development costs, operating and financial responsibilities, and funding options.

“I think it’s time to move forward,” said Commissioner Mike Moore. “It’s a positive. People in my district want to see it sooner rather than later.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano voted against the study. Instead of spending money on a study, he said county officials should explore why the deal with Pasco Sports LLC to build a multimillion-dollar sports complex fell apart.

“I’d like to find out why he (Gary Sheffield) didn’t like the contract,” Mariano said. “We could look at that first.”

In December, commissioners dropped plans to partner with Pasco Sports to build a sports complex on 100 acres near The Shops at Wiregrass regional shopping mall. The land is part of more than 200 acres donated to the county by the Porter family.

Partners James Talton and former major league baseball player Gary Sheffield had proposed to build 20 ball fields and dormitories on the site. They had envisioned a youth baseball camp that would attract national tournaments and deliver more than $300 million annually in economic impact to the county.

According to the agreement, the county would commit between $11 million and $14 million in tourism dollars to the project. But Talton and Sheffield let a deadline pass without delivering on a pledge to provide $3 million for the complex’s design.

Other projects, both rumored and real, are competing with the proposed sports complex.

Z Mitch LLC had a groundbreaking in February for a major ice hockey and sports complex off Interstate 75 at the State Road interchange in Wesley Chapel. The facility is expected to open in fall 2015 with four full-size rinks. But the 150,000-square-foot facility will accommodate a wide range of sports including soccer, lacrosse and basketball.

Rumors also persist that Hillsborough County may be in line for a new sports facility.

Most Pasco commissioners agreed the feasibility study would be a valuable tool in sorting out the county’s options.

“It will either validate or invalidate the marketing of the complex and what’s needed in this area,” said Chairman Ted Schrader. “It will give us the confidence to go forward with some sort of park project.”

Published March 18, 2015

 

She can’t beat the commute

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Melissa Huston used to spend 90 minutes each way, getting back and forth from work.

She lives in Lutz and was commuting to a job in St. Petersburg.

“It was debilitating, mentally,” Huston said. “There were days that were awful driving there.”

When Melissa Huston wants to get some work done, she steps into her home office to tackle assignments. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
When Melissa Huston wants to get some work done, she steps into her home office to tackle assignments.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She and her husband, Doug, have two children. Tyler attends McKitrick Elementary School and Brandon is in preschool.

Besides getting stuck in traffic, Huston had the additional stress of not being sure she’d be able to pick up her children from child care on time.

“You’re trying to get to your kids at night, and you’re watching the clock and you’re sitting in it (traffic) — and God forbid, there’s an accident and you’re panicking.

“I don’t miss any of that,” said Huston, who has been working at home for Dell, since July 2013.

Huston had worked for Home Shopping Network in St. Petersburg for many years and made the switch to a Tampa company, which announced that it was moving to St. Petersburg.

At the time, Tyler was getting ready to start kindergarten, and Huston decided she would look for a stay-at-home job.

“When they’re in preschool, they don’t have homework. They don’t have as many activities,” Huston said.

But she knew she wanted to be able to help with homework and attend school activities, and couldn’t think of a way to do that and still have a long commute.

So, she began looking for stay-at-home work opportunities.

She had heard about the scams involving work from home jobs.

“That was my big concern: Are they legitimate?” she said.

She had reason to worry.

The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers to be skeptical when checking out work-at-home opportunities. Many of them require an upfront investment, and many fail to live up to their claims.

As Huston was researching stay-at-home jobs, she came across a website called FlexJobs.com.

The company, which is a 100 percent, virtual remote company, was founded in 2007 in Boulder, Colorado, by Sara Sutton Fall, according to Kathy Gardner, the company’s PR Manager, who is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

FlexJobs.com essentially offers a subscription service to provide information about available jobs to job seekers. The fees are $14.95 a month, $29.95 for three months and $69.95 for 12 months.

The job seekers, who are the company’s clients, pay the fee to gain access to its postings and are guaranteed that the site is 100 percent free of scams and advertisements, Gardner said.

Huston said the service helped her find her job.

FlexJobs.com has helped more than 1 million people in their job searches, Gardner said. And, according to a recent analysis of its data, it turns out that Florida ranks fourth in the nation for recruitment by companies for telecommuters, Gardner added.

Huston said the site offers listings on all types of jobs, ranging from contract work to part-time to full-time salaried positions.

Before signing up for the service, Huston said, she had not thought to look for a telecommuting opportunity on Dell’s website.

Huston, whose background is in marketing analytics, has the kind of job that lends itself to working remotely.

“My job is all computer-based,” she said. “There is some face-to-face talking, but it’s predominantly data driven.”

She works with a team stationed around the globe.

“We have the ability to share our screens. Through our instant messaging tool, we can share our desktops, so, if I’m looking at this and I want to explain something with this spreadsheet, I can share it.

“We utilize that a lot to talk through things.

“It’s amazing what you can accomplish,” she said.

Still, since they don’t share the same physical space, the working relationships that occur naturally in an office have to be nurtured, she said.

“You have to make an effort to stay connected with your colleagues,” Huston said.

Working from home is not for everyone, she noted.

The key to working at home, she said, is to establish a schedule.

“It can’t just be work whenever you feel like it, because this is a regular job. You have to establish a good routine of when you start your day and when you end it, too,” she said.

While some people working at home might tend to slack off, others may be too intense.

It’s easy to work 80 hours or more because you’re literally always at the office, she said.

It’s important to find a balance and to maintain it, Huston said.

There’s a lot to be said for being able to check on a project or share information after normal working hours by popping into your home office and spending 5 minutes to take care of a task, Huston said.

Besides having a regular work routine, it’s important to have a separate space designated for your office, she said. It’s important to be able to close the door and focus on work.

“It’s a corporate job. It is a big company. There are demands,” she said.

Huston loves being able to eliminate the long commute and focus on her work and family.

She’s been able to be involved in some volunteer work at McKitrick Elementary and she’s nearby, if there’s ever an emergency, she said.

In fact, she added, “my youngest, actually, broke his leg at his pre-school, and I was there in 2 seconds because it was around the corner.”

Working at home is not for everyone, Huston said. But she added: “For the place that I’m at in my life, it’s a good fit.”

Working at home is not for everyone
Melissa Huston, a Lutz mom who works at home, offers this advice for people who work at home:

  • Be sure to establish a routine.
  • Set up a separate office space — you need to be able to close the door, to work uninterrupted.
  • Be aware that while you have more flexibility, you still must meet work demands.
  • Know that working at home is not a good idea if you’re not a good time manager.
  • Be prepared to make an extra effort to stay in the loop with your colleagues.

The FTC’s advice for avoiding work-at-home scams
Of course, when it comes to business opportunities, there’s no such thing as a sure thing.

Promises of a big income for work from home, especially when the “opportunity” involves an upfront fee or divulging your credit card information, should make you very suspicious, advises a consumer protection article on the Federal Trade Commission’s website.

It doesn’t matter where you saw the advertisement or heard about the offer, the FTC warns. Research the opportunity and be skeptical.

Here are some examples of work-at-home opportunities that often turn out to be scams:

  • Envelope stuffing: For a “small fee,” you can make lots of money stuffing envelopes at home, but it turns out that there’s no work and the only way you can earn any money is by persuading others to pursue the same envelope-stuffing opportunity.
  • Assembly or craft work: This promises that you can make money assembling crafts or other products at home. But first you have to invest money for equipment and supplies. Then, after you’ve spent lots of hours producing goods for a company that has promised to buy them, they reject your products because your work is “not up to standards.”
  • Rebate processing: The offer says you can earn money by helping to process rebates. Then it says the fee for training, certification or registration is nothing compared to what you’ll earn processing rebates from home. What you’ll receive are useless training materials and no rebates to process.
  • Online searches: This opportunity promises that you’ll ear $500 to $1,000 a week, or even up to $7,000 a month, by running Internet searches on prominent search engines and filling out forms. In this case, the scammers are not connected to well-known search engines. They’re trying to trick you into handing over credit or debit car information. If you pay even a tiny fee online, they can use your financial information to charge you recurring fees.
  • Medical billing: This offer promises a substantial income for full- or part-time work processing medical claims electronically — no experience needed. These opportunities often require a substantial investment for software, list of potential clients and technical support. But the software may not work, and the lists are often outdated. If you decide to pursue this type of opportunity, be sure to obtain a lengthy list of previous purchasers for references. Be wary if the list just has a couple of names on it, because they may be shills that have been hired to say good things.

Ask Questions

If you’re thinking about following up on a work-at-home offer, do your homework. Before pursuing a stay-at-home work opportunity, ask:

  • What tasks will I have to perform? Be sure you have a list of every step of the job.
  • Will I be paid a salary or paid on commission?
  • If the job involves purchasing some type of program, ask what is the basis for your claims about my likely earnings? What documents can you show me to prove your claims are true before I give you any money?
  • Who will pay me? When will I get my first paycheck?
  • What is the total cost of this work-at-home program, including supplies, equipment and membership fees? What will I get for my money?

Where to Complain

If you are unable to resolve a dispute with the company, you can file a complaint with:

  • The Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/complaint
  • The Florida Attorney General’s Office
  • The Better Business Bureau
  • Local consumer protection offices

Published March 18, 2015

Business Digest -3-18-15

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Business luncheon
The Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce will host its Lunch N’ Learn Business Forum March 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the chamber’s boardroom, 6013 Wesley Chapel Blvd., Suite 105. The forum is held on the third Thursday each month.

Guest speakers will be Albert Verile and Kirby Lavallee of SharpLine Investigations. They will discuss how to protect your business against fraud.

The cost is $15 including lunch. An RSVP is required.

For information, call the chamber office at (813) 994-8534.

Employment fair in New Port Richey
CareerSource Pasco Hernando will have an employment fair March 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 6347 Grand Blvd., in New Port Richey.

The event is free and open to the public.

Dress professionally and bring plenty of resumes.

For information, contact CareerSource Pasco Hernando at (727) 484-3400, or visit CareerSourcePascoHernando.com.

Insurance ribbon cutting
Gunter and Gunter Insurance will host an open house and grand opening March 24 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at 28969 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel.

Suncoast Auto Glass will be on-site for free windshield repair. There will be giveaways, and people who sign up for free automobile insurance quotes will be entered in a drawing for a $100 gift card from Publix Super Market. Catering will be provided by The Private Chef.

For information, call the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce at (813) 994-8534, or Gunter and Gunter at (813) 994-3900.

New mattress shop opens
Mighty Mattresses is open for business at 21126 State Road 54 in Lutz. The discount mattress retailer had a ribbon cutting on March 3.

The store is on the southwest corner of State Road 54 and Land O’ Lakes Boulevard with an entrance off State Road 54.

Employ Veterans Seminar
Are you an employer interested in hiring veterans? The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and the office of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis will co-host the Employ Veterans Seminar March 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 pm., at the Microtel Inn & Suites, 7839 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

RSVP for this free seminar by March 27. A light lunch will be served.

Representatives from state agencies will be there to answer questions about available incentives and funding for job-specific training.

For information and to make reservations, call (813) 782-1913, or email .

Grants for businesswomen
Are you a businesswoman who could use $1,000?

Women-n-Charge is offering two $1,000 grants this spring. The grants can be used toward business-related equipment or services and continuing education. The nonprofit’s mission, in part, is to support and assist professional women in managing their businesses more effectively.

Learn more about the grants at Women-n-Charge.com. Applications are available online and are due April 15.

For information, contact Judy Nicolosi, treasurer of Women-n-Charge, at (813) 600-9848, or email .

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group will meet March 24 at Rose’s Café at 38426 Fifth Ave., in Zephyrhills.

Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

Leja Apple, former Miss Pasco and former Miss Nature’s Coast, is the guest speaker.

For information, call Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491, or email him at .

Meet Zephyrhills physician
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will host an open house and ribbon cutting March 27 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., for Dr. Stacy Taylor-Hunt, a doctor of osteopathy.

She is joining the staff at Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Family Medicine, Suite B, 37908 Daughtery Road in Zephyrhills.

Free glucose, blood pressure and/or BMI screenings will be available.

Sandwiches, salads, desserts and beverages will be provided.

Two-day career fair
Pasco-Hernando State College will host Opportunity 2015 Hernando County Career Fair April 9 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and April 10 from 9 a.m. to noon, at the North Campus, Building B Conference Center, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd., in Brooksville.

On April 9, free seminars will focus on resume writing, interview skills, and proper attire and etiquette for interviews. The keynote speaker will be Steve Wilson of Pasco-Hernando State College.

On April 10, local employers will accept resumes and perform on-the-spot interviews. Dress professionally and bring lots of resumes.

The event is free, but preregistration is required at HernandoCountyCareerFair2015eventbrite.com.

For information, call Nicole Miller at (352) 7907-5174, or Steve Wilson at (352) 293-1123.

Rotary Club needs bee sponsors
The Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon needs sponsors for the third annual “BEE Part of the Buzz” adult spelling bee.

The spelling bee will be April 10 at 6:30 p.m., at the Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club, 10641 Old Tampa Bay Drive in San Antonio. Teams compete in three rounds with words progressing in spelling difficulty from easy to intermediate to difficult.

Spectators cheer on their favorite teams in a fun event that helps raise funds for the Pasco Education Foundation. Donations range from $1,500 for a Queen Bee sponsorship to $150 for a four-person team.

For information, email Erin Meyer at .

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.

For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

Wesley Chapel networking group
Networking for Your Success meets every Thursday at 8 a.m., at Lexington Oaks Country Club, 2615 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Cost is $5, and annual membership to the group is $79.

Still moving after all these years

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Phyllis Goodlad has won so many awards at athletic event for seniors, there’s too many to mention.

And when you talk to her, she never mentions them.

“What’s behind is behind. You’ve got to keep your sights on the future,” she said. At 86, she’s been collecting medals and trophies for decades.

Phyllis Goodlad, 86, is often on a bicycle, in the pool or on the road traveling to different competitions. She took part in cycling and swimming in last year's Florida Senior games. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Phyllis Goodlad, 86, is often on a bicycle, in the pool or on the road traveling to different competitions. She took part in cycling and swimming in last year’s Florida Senior games.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

She doesn’t even know where most of them are. A couple of trophies can be seen in her home, but the majority are likely stored away in other rooms or in a shed at her home in Dade City.

Sometimes she even forgets to pick them up after she wins her events, she said.

Goodlad doesn’t even like to say she won or came in first place. She simply says “I did well,” so as not to seem boastful.

Her reluctance to appear prideful might stem from being a little girl in Wexford, Ireland before World War II, a time when women weren’t encouraged to participate in athletics, much less to excel at them.

“I was brought up where you couldn’t do sports, because ladies did not do that,” Goodlad recalled.

But they could marry athletes, and she found one in her husband, Terry.

“He was an all-around athlete. When I met him, he was going to turn pro as a boxer, and I don’t like boxing,” Goodlad recalled. “I gave him a choice.”

Terry chose love over a boxing glove, and they had been married for nearly 60 years, when he passed away in 2007.

During their marriage, her husband became an expert runner and cyclist, and traveled to participate in several sports around the world.

The interest rubbed off on Goodlad. She found herself trying new sports such as cross-country skiing, race-walking (where she holds Masters records in the United States and Canada) and triathlons.

She competed in last year’s Florida Senior Games in cycling and swimming.

And when she enters an athletic contest, she often wins.

She entered a triathlon at the National Senior Games in Cleveland, Ohio, a couple of years ago. After some coaxing, Goodlad admits she took first place.

But the victories and awards aren’t what are important to her.

She values the friendships she makes, the fun of competing and the health benefits that keep her in the water or on the course.

Those are the things that keep her feeling young.

“I don’t think of my age until I have to put it down,” Goodlad said.

Her athletic participation also keeps her mentally sharp. She enjoys setting goals for herself, using her tablet to research future events, and focusing on the next competition or event.

While most people in their mid-80s aren’t training for their next cycling event or swimming race, Goodlad said that seniors can and should do more to stay active.

Like most people, she watches some television — especially when the Olympics or Tour de France are on — but doesn’t make it her main activity for the day.

Doing something that requires physical exertion is harder than sitting in a chair and watching a program, she said, but the latter activities don’t provide any health benefits.

Even if someone’s health isn’t perfect, doing something is better than doing nothing, and can still make a big difference in their lives, Goodlad said.

“Get involved, even if it’s only for a short time in the morning or a short time in the afternoon or evening. Just don’t stay home all the time,” Goodlad advises. “Even if it’s only walking to the end of the street. Park your car as far away from the store as you can. Just that little but of walking is amazing. It’ll start you on a journey that will only give you the greatest pleasure you can think of.”

Goodlad’s journey takes her to Lakeland several times a week for swimming practice, and to Canada for several months out of the year, where she visits family in between traveling to competitions. She also will likely head to the National Senior Games in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, this July.

Even though she’ll be 87 this year, she’s still looking to try new things. She always wanted to take up fencing, and now that her granddaughter is trying it, she wonders if that might be a new opportunity.

The fact that she’s never done something before doesn’t deter her. Goodlad once entered a kayaking competition despite never setting foot in one. She took second place.

So if you want to try something new, her advice is to give it a shot, enjoy the journey, and don’t let a lack of experience hold you back.

“Nobody knows anything until they learn it,” Goodlad said.

Published March 11, 2015

No horsing around: Avalon’s Students Prep For Equestrian Shows

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The Reflections community in Lutz has beautiful houses, well-maintained areas and a peaceful, suburban aesthetic.

And 30 acres for riding, training and showing horses.

Annaliese Donaldson-Pham and her horse, Tirza, are preparing a move into national competition. She began riding at age 3. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Annaliese Donaldson-Pham and her horse, Tirza, are preparing a move into national competition. She began riding at age 3.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“It’s been here 20 years. They built that (the housing development) about 11 years ago,” said Pam Roush, trainer and owner of Avalon Stables, 18029 Lake Reflections Blvd. Before that, the property was a farm for thoroughbreds. Then Roush bought it and converted it to an area for training and lessons, and the Veterans Expressway helped the area develop residentially.

Now, Avalon Stables almost looks tucked away in a subdivision, but a quick detour off the main road leads to dozens of stables, large training areas and a little community all its own.

“We kind of call it our ‘barn family,’” said assistant trainer Lonna Glover. “Usually in the afternoons, everybody is here. It’s a big social thing for a lot of our customers.”

Saturday mornings also are a popular time, with riders and family gathering at the pavilion to watch lessons, socialize and support each other.

While Avalon Stables is a fun place for its riders, it also can be serious business. Many students own their own horse and keep it at Avalon. A horse can easily cost what you’d pay for a new car, Glover explained, and adding several hundred dollars a month for care and maintenance means it’s for riders looking to improve and become successful at competitions.

But owning a horse isn’t a requirement to participate. Some riders simply pay for lessons and use horses on-site that are designated for student use. And whether they’re gunning for recognition at a show, or just having fun on the weekends, horse riding and training can relieve stress.

The pursuit requires the kind of concentration that doesn’t leave room for outside pressures to creep in.

“Most people like to come out here to just relax and do something different, because they can’t think of anything else while they’re sitting up there,” Glover said. “They have to think of what they’re doing and how they’re doing it.”

Children with attention challenges often find their focus improving when they’re on a horse, because every movement works in concert to keep the animal behaving as it should, Roush explained.

Brooklyn Krone, 12, has been coming to Avalon for seven years. She spends three days a week working with her horse, Breve Latte, to make a jump from Academy level shows to A level. She’s almost there, and still enjoys the training process after all these years.

“It’s just really fun. I get to meet a lot of people and spend time with horses,” she said. Krone is working hard on form and body placement, which is a big part of the judging. It’s important to maneuver the horse properly using complex signals and motions, but maintain a smooth and comfortable look, as if the two work together naturally.

And even though it’s hard work, it’s a welcome respite from the stresses of her virtual school schedule.

“Usually when I have a really hard day at school, it just takes my mind off of things,” Krone said. She hopes to reach A level in the next couple of months.

Annaliese Donaldson-Pham, 12, can’t remember a time when she wasn’t riding. She’s been with Avalon for a couple of years, but began riding when she was 3.

“I just love the connection between you and your horse,” she said. And she’s building a connection with Tirza, a horse she acquired to focus on performing as she plans to make a jump of her own in the showing circuit. A competitor at A level for more than three years, Donaldson-Pham is looking to go national, and works weekly with Tirza to get ready for tougher competition.

Seeing her students improve and advance in competition is a particular source of pride for Roush.

“I love my kids. It’s the best,” she said. “It’s why we do it.” It also becomes a lifelong passion for many of them, she said, building from an interest that began as children into a consistent part of their lives as adults.

Krone agrees.

“I definitely see myself doing this for a long time,” she said.

The spring break camp at Avalon, which lasts a week, began on March 9.

Summer camp dates begin in June.

For more information, call (813) 765-7162 or visit AvalonStables.com.

Published March 11, 2015

Three cheers for state champs

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When Pasco-Hernando State College won a state championship last month, there was a lot of cheering.

Not just from fans or family members.

The cheering actually came from the team itself.

Because that’s exactly how they won the title – from cheering.

Practice and teamwork have helped Pasco-Hernando State College’s cheerleading squad claim a state title. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Practice and teamwork have helped Pasco-Hernando State College’s cheerleading squad claim a state title.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

The PHSC cheer team won the College Co-Ed Level Six division state title at The American Cheer & Dance Championships for Florida, held Feb. 7 at the Florida State Fair. Their routine, which lasted 2 minutes and 30 seconds, earned a score of 92.30 out of 100, which earned the team first place in their division.

“I’m very proud of them,” said Sophia Haddad, the team’s head coach.

Haddad is in her first year leading the team, but she’s no stranger to PHSC cheerleading. She helped start the cheer team as a student back in 2009, and was part of the cheerleading squad that also won a state title a few years ago.

At just 23 years old, Haddad has athletes on the team who are older than her.

She considers it an advantage, to be close in age to the cheerleaders on her squad.

It helps her connect with the team, and she’s not afraid to get on the mat herself and demonstrate what to do, if it will help get her message across.

“I can see it through their eyes,” Haddad said. “I think I can relate a little bit more to them.”

As a former state champion, she also can relate to their success.

Haddad writes the team’s routines, and said she’s able to highlight their strengths in a way that judges will notice.

Those strengths include moves like stunting and pyramids, which require not just physical ability and skill, but a level of trust and teamwork that’s hard to achieve.

The team’s success stems not only from the members’ talent.

A good attitude, Haddad said, is essential to creating a successful routine and a championship squad.

“You can come in and have good skill, but if you’re not a team player and you don’t have the right attitude, then you’re not anything to the team. You’re not helping them in any way. If anything, you bring them down.”

Right now nobody is bringing down the Conquistadors, who will travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for the national championships, which begin March 20.

The team will compete as a group and also in a separate stunting category.

Haddad has a good feeling about how they’ll perform on the national stage.

Karlee Roach, a PHSC sophomore who attended Land O’ Lakes High School, shares Haddad’s optimism about the team’s prospects.

Roach cheered for her school as a Gator, but said things become a little more intense at the college level when a state title is on the line.

“The pressure of it, representing our school, was very, very different than high school,” Roach said.

Winning the title also brought special satisfaction for her.

In high school, she felt like the squad during her senior year had the talent to win the state championship, but it didn’t finish in the top three.

She still believes the scoring was questionable and did not represent what the team achieved on the mat.

Winning at PHSC has provided some validation for Roach and her squad.

“That is why I wanted to join the cheerleading team here, because I wanted to prove that I am not fourth. I am first. And it’s not just me. It’s the team. We are,” Roach said.

Roach takes her cheerleading seriously, and she proves it outside of practice and competitions. She’s in the gym three or four times a week, doing weight training or cardio to stay at her best. Everybody on the team puts in their time to perform at a championship level, she said.

But for all that work, many people still think of the cheerleaders as the people on the side of a game, or simply dancing around. They don’t see the practice time, the injuries, the training and the teamwork that goes into building a winning program.

“A lot of work goes into it, and nobody realizes how much,” Roach said.

At PHSC, that’s changing.

Roach has been stopped by faculty and school administrators and congratulated for the team’s success. Over time, people are recognizing that the team’s hard work is paying off, and it feels nice to be noticed for their accomplishments.

For Haddad, those accomplishments include being good students. As an academic advisor for the school, she knows the importance of making sure athletes put importance on their classes.

Cheerleading helps in those and other areas, by teaching team members the importance of working in groups and providing support, whether it’s at the base of a pyramid — helping get the best out of a teammate, or focusing on a common goal, like a state or perhaps a national title.

“I’m really lucky. I have a great team,” Haddad said. “They have great attitudes, they’re great students. The overall package. And that’s really what I look for. You can’t be a good cheerleader here if you’re not a good student. You have to have both.”

Published March 11, 2015

Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce pays it forward

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The scent of barbecue and the sounds of bands belting out the blues aren’t the only sweet things to come out of the fifth annual Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest at the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport.

There’s also the money that the event generates.

Children rode the ‘rails’ at the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest on Jan. 17. The event was sponsored by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, which has donated $15,000 to local youth and civic groups. (File Photo)
Children rode the ‘rails’ at the Pigz in Z’Hills BBQ and Blues Fest on Jan. 17. The event was sponsored by the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce, which has donated $15,000 to local youth and civic groups.
(File Photo)

This year, the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce handed out more than $15,000 in donations to eight civic clubs and youth groups, thanks to money raised through the event. The donations ranged from $750 to $1,500.

The chamber also announced new scholarships of $1,000 each for performing arts and culinary arts that will be presented to two graduating Zephyrhills High School students in May.

“We are fortunate to have a community that embraces volunteer service and grateful for the enthusiasm by businesses and community organizations that support this event,” said Vonnie Mikkelsen, the chamber’s executive director.

Groups that received the money are excited about what it can do.

The YMCA of East Pasco will spend its donation to send four students and a supervisor to the YMCA’s Blue Ridge leadership program in Black Mountain, North Carolina this summer.

“It’s a huge event,” says AJ Hernandez, the East Pasco YMCA’s program director. “It’s a great opportunity for the kids to network. It’s a great learning experience.”

The students work year-round to collect funds to pay for the trip with car washes, drawings, dinner events and selling snacks at sports events.

The Zephyrhills Museum of Military History, at 39444 South Ave., in Zephyrhills, will be getting some display cases, mannequins and other items to freshen up its look, said Cliff Moffett.

“It’s going to be huge for us,” Moffett said. “We need a lot of stuff to make the museum up-to-date and more modern.”

He thinks the museum visitors will enjoy the acquisitions.

Visitors, he said, “like to see something new.”

The museum is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

It also hosts some special events. It had an event on Dec. 7 to remember the day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941. It is planning a similar event on June 6, to honor D-Day in World War II.

About three-dozen members of the Interact Club at Zephyrhills High School plan to pass on their donation to a local charity at the end of the year. The club is the high school extension of the Noon Rotary Club of Zephyrhills.

Last year, the students donated funds to Sunrise Domestic Violence Center, Thomas Promise Foundation, Habitat for Humanity and East Pasco Meals on Wheels. They usually visit and do volunteer service at area charities throughout the year before deciding which charities will receive donations.

“They gain a broader understanding of the needs that are out there,” said Amy Chappell, the club’s advisor. She also serves on the chamber’s board of directors but not on the committee that awards the donations. “Locally, it’s an eye opener to the needs that are right here.”

In addition to local initiatives, club members reach out to global organizations that work on issues such as clean drinking water and human trafficking. But, Chappell said the local volunteer work gives them a unique perspective.

“They see what a difference it can make,” she said.

Other groups and organizations that received donations were the Pasco County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, Sunshine Swampers 4 x 4 Club Inc., Zephyr Airport Cadet Squadron, Zephyrhills High School Drama Club and Zephyrhills Army JROTC.

Nearly 10,000 people attended the barbecue and blues event.

Published March 11, 2015